Closet.



A. MCGARY. cLosET. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4| 1913.

1,149,529. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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ALEXANDER MGGARY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TGOULD COUPLER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CLOSET.

Application filed August 4, 1913.

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Bronx,city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful mprovements in Closets, (Case 0,) of which the following is aspecifi cation.

My invention relates to improvements in provide an improved arrangementfor preventing obnoxious gases from being given off from the closet.

A further object of my invention is to provide a closet with improvedarrangements for the separation `of liquid from solid matter.

Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly -appear fromthe detailed description given below in connection with the accompanyingdrawing which forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a vertical section of a closet embodying myimprovements in one form. v Fig. 2 is aside view thereof. Fig. 3 is afront view thereof partly in sections of one of the heater parts.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitable body. portion havinga seat 2 hinged thereto and provided with a hinged cover 3, alsoextending over the seat, provided with a rubber band or strip 4extending around its edges land adapted' to fit closely against the topof thebody portion 1 in orderto prevent obnoxious gases from emanatingfrom the closet. Rotatably mounted in the closet is a pan.5 looselymounted upon a shaft 6 and adapted to receive solid portions of theexcreta. rlhe shaft 6 has fixed thereto an armi' carrying the pawl 8,adapted to. intermittently rotate a ratchet 9 secured to .l a sleeve 10extendingv over the shaft 9 and rigidly secured to the pan 5. The pawl11 prevents backward rotation of the pan 5 by engagement with theratchet 9. Also secured to the ratchet 9 is a commutator or rotaryswitch 12 adapted to electrically connect spring contacts 13. On theother end Specification of Letters Fatent.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the electricalcircuit connections as a whole, andFig. 5 is` a diagram of the electrical circuit connec` Patented Aug. im,1915.

seriaiiro. 782,783.

ofthe shaft 6 is secured a gear 14 meshing with a rack 15 carried by alever 16 pivoted at 17, the other yend of the lever being engaged byabutments 18 secured to a spindle 19normally pressed upward by a spring20, so that when the seat 2 is vacated it rises under the 1actionof thespring 20, causing a rocking of the lever 16 and a rotation of the pan 5one half revolution by means of the pawl and ratchet 8 and9. Upon adepression of the seat the pawl 8 slips over the teeth of the ratchetwithout moving the pan o.

Loc ted beneath the pan 5 are two heating plate 21 and 22 carryingelectrical resistance elements for heating the excreta which may bedischarged thereto from the pan 5 when the pan 5 is rotated. rlhe plate22 is pivoted at 23 so that it may be rocked on its pivot fordischarging any refuse that may be left upon the plates after theheating operation is finished. The electrical resistance heatingelements of each plate 21 and 22 comprise a plurality of resistancesleading from two separate branch circuits 24 and 25 (see Fig. 5).

Referring to Fig. 4, when the seat is occupied it is depressed thereby,closing a switch member 24 with a switch contact 26. This closes anelectrical circuit, putting the branches 24 and 25 in series. Thiscircuit may be traced as follows: from the main 26 through conductor27', branch 24, contact 28, switch member 29, contact 30, conductor 31,branch conductor 32, contact 26, switch 24, and conductor 33 back to themain 34. By connecting the elements in branches 24 and 25 in series aweak current is caused to pass therethrough and consequently the heatingplates .21 and 22 are energized weakly. Upon one leaving the seat theseat is vcaused to rise, vthus disconnecting the lbranches 24 and 25fromthe source at the switch contact 26, but the rise of the seat causesarotationof the switch 12 so that the contacts 13 are momentarilyclosed. The, closing `of the contacts 13 energizes the solenoid 35, thecircuit being as follows: from main 26 through a thermostat 36,conductor 38, the windings/of solenoid 35. conductor 39, conductor 40,contacts 13` and conductor 41 back to theimain 34. Consequently thesolenoid closes switches 42 and 43. The closing of the switch 43 closesthe shunt circuit about the contacts 13 .ein-

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connect the upper contacts 52 and 53, thereby connecting the branches 24and 25 in parallel across the mains 26 and 34 so that the elements arestrongly energized and the heater caused to produce its full amount ofheat. The circuit may be traced as follows: from the main 26, throughconductor 27, branch 24, contact 5 3, switch 29, contact 52, conductor54., back to the other main 34 through the switch 42 and the circuitthrough branch 25 as follows: from the main 26, conductor 27, conductor47, switch 51, conductor 57, branch 25, conductor 58, conductor 54,conductor 49, and back to the main 34 through the switch 42, so that thebranches 24 and 25 are connected across the mains in parallel, and theheater strongly energized. After the eXcreta has been consumed or heatedto the desired degree, the heater is denergized by the automatic openingof the circuit by the thermostat, which may be located in any convenientposition y near the heater, so that the heat is turned oli" upon theproper degree of temperature being reached.

A vent passage 60 leads from the space between the heater and the pan 5for the purpose of carrying away the most of the obnoxious gases due tothe heating. 'Ihe body portion is provided with a separate passage forthe urine at 61 which discharges the same into a pipe 62, independent ofthe pan and heater. A chute 63 is provided below the heater for thepurpose of receivifng any refuse that may be discharged thererom.

From the above it will be clear that when the closet is occupied the panremains in its normal position but the heater is weakly energized inorder to gradually heat the same and thus save electrical energy. Uponone leaving the seat the pan is rotated as above described, the eXcretadeposited on to the heater, and the heating elements connected inparallel so that they are strongly heated as desired.

Although I have described my improvements in great detail with respectto one particular embodiment thereof, nevertheless I do not desire to belimited to such details except as clearly pointed out in the appendedclaims, since many changes and modications may well be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention in'its broaderaspects.

2. In a device of the class described, an

electrical heater for receiving and heating eXcreta, said heater havinga plurality of y electrical heating elements, means for connecting saidelements in series upon one occupying the device, and means forconnecting said elements in parallel upon one leaving the device.

3. In a device of the class described, an electrical heater forreceiving and heating the excreta, means for weakly energizing saidheater upon one occupying the device,- means for strongly energizingsaid heater upon one leaving the device, and means for automaticallydenergizing said heater.

4. In a device of the class described, an electrical heater forreceiving and heating eXcreta, said heater having a plurality ofelectrical heating elements, means for con necting said elements inseries upon one occupying the device, means for connecting said elementsin parallel upon one leaving the device, and means for automaticallydisconnecting said elements electrically after one has left the device.

5. In a device of the class described, a closet seat, an electricalheater in operative relation thereto for receiving and heating theeXcreta, means controlled by a depression of said seat for weaklyenergizing said heater, and means controlled by a rise of said seat forstrongly energizing said heater.

6. In a device of the class described, a closet seat, an electricalheater in operative relation thereto for receiving and heating theeXcreta, said heater having a plurality of electrical heating elements,means controlled by a depression of said seat for connecting saidelements in series to weakly energize the heater, means controlled by arise of said seat for connecting said elements in parallel to stronglyenergize the heater, and means for automatically disconnecting saidelements to denergize said heater.

7. In a device of the class described, an electrical heater forreceiving the eXcreta,

ymeans for weakly energizing said heater upon one occupying the device,and means for strongly energizing said heater upon one leaving thedevice.

8. In a device of the class described, an electrical heater forreceiving and heating eXcreta, means for weakly energizing said heaterupon one occupying the device, and means for strongly energizing saidheater upon one leaving the device, said means including means forautomatically causing the denergization of said heater.

9. In a device of the class described, an electrical heater forreceiving and heating excreta, means for weakly energizing said heaterupon one occupying the device, and means for ystrongly energizing saidheater upon one leaving the device, said means including meanscontrolled by the condition of the heater for causing denergization ofthe heater. Y

l0. In a device of the class described, an electrical heater forreceiving andheating eXcreta, means for weakly energizing said heaterupon one occupying the device, and means for strongly energizing saidheater upon one leaving the device, said means including meanscontrolled by the temperature of the heater for causing denergization ofthe heater. v

11. In a device of the class described, a closet seat, a pan below theseat, a heater in operative relation to the pan, means for energizingsaid heater to a slight degree and inverting said pan controlled by thedepres sion of the seat, means for energizing said heater to its maximumdegree, and means for restoring said pan, both controlled by the rise ofthe seat.

12. In a device of the class described, a body portion, a tilting pan inthe body portion adapted to receive and discharge solid eXcreta, aheater below the pan, said body portion having a passage leading from apoint at the edge of the pan whereby liquid poured into the device willsubstantially all be drained through the passage.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER MGGARY.

Witnesses:

GORHAM CROSBY, J. P. SUNDERLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

